Fabric cleaner



June 5, 1934. pugc 1,961,911

FABRIC CLEANER Filed June 30. 1932 g am-x Wm,

BY i

y I J 'ATTORNEY.

Patented June 5, 1934 1,961,911 FABRIC CLEANER Frederick A. Pusch, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application June 30, 1932, Serial No. 620,171

2 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of a cleaning cloth that is peculiarly adapted for cleaning and polishing enamel and vitreous ware,

as bath tubs and Wash basins and is free from coarse abrasive ingredients that tend to mar or scratch the surfaces during the cleaning operation. Furthermore, said cloth is extremely durable, is readily restored. to its original condition by washing and eliminates the necessity of employing in the cleansing operation an alkaline or corrosive abrasive cleansing powder such as is now commonly employed in the cleaning of porcelain tubs and wash basins.

My invention is fully described in detail in the following specification and drawing forming a part of this specification, in which latter Figure 1 is a plan view of a fabric cleaner emboclying my invention, the left and right sides thereof respectively showing the condition of the surface of the fabric immediately following the completion of the coating operation and also after subjecting the same to frictional engagement with a rotary bristle brush;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section of the original untreated fabric;

Fig. 3 isa transverse vertical section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 showing the condition of the fabric following the coating operation; and

Fig. 4 is a similar section on the line 33 of Fig. 1 showing the condition of the fabric fo1- lowing the final brushing operation.

In carrying out my invention, I preferably proceed as follows:

A cloth fabric, preferably of the character commonly known as terry cloth or Turkish toweling and of the desired size and shape, is coated on its nap side only with a thick solution of a nitrocellulose lacquer of the type employed as the vehicle of the plastic composition described in Patent No. 1,838,618 or of the type now commonly used for finishing auto bodies, such for example as the type of lacquers designated by the trademark Duco. Sufiicient of the coating is preferably applied to substantially bridge the gap between successive loops of the nap portion of the cloth as indicated in Fig. 3, so that when freshly coated and dried, a substantially smooth coated surface results. The completed cloth is then preferably subjected to the abrasive action of a retary bristle brush to disintegrate and remove the portions of the plastic coating or binder lying intermediate the projecting nap filaments or loops in order to improve the abrasive properties of said cloth (see, Fig. 4). However, even if the coated cloth is not subjected to such finishing action of such abrasive member, a similar effect to that produced by such treatment will occur when the cloth is used for the first time since, owing to the flexibility of the nap filaments, the coating material intermediate the same breaks down and falls out in use, with the result that the cloth assumes the appearance shown in Fig. 4 after but a short period of use.

It will be noted that in the finished cloth, as illustrated in Fig. 4, only the upper or outermost faces of the loops or uncut piles of the fabric are coated and the lower faces thereof are substantially bare or uncoated.

A substantial percentage, preferably between 10% to v40 ",5, of an abrasive filler, desirably in the condition of a fine flour, is superficially incorporated with the coating material, preferably by dusting the same upon the surface immediately following the spraying of the coating thereon and prior to the drying thereof, such fillers as marble flour, pumice or emery powder being especially suitable for this purpose. The subsequent dusting of the powder on the coating material is particularly desirable since if the filler is first incorporated with the coating vehicle prior to so the application of the coating to the fabric, the adhesiveness of the coating is substantially impaired, being adulerated by the presence of the filler and thereby its tendency to permanently adhere to the pile fabric is materially affected.

While I prefer to employ a coating composition containing a cellulose ester or pyroxylin plastic, as above described, because of the highly elastic and water insoluble nature thereof and owing to the fact that it is relatively unaffected by the soaping action, which latter it is advisable to employ for cleaning the cloth after using the same, nevertheless, other well known water-insoluble gums or resins, such as non-saponifiable resins or phenol condensation products may be 9.5; dissolved in a suitable vehicle and employed for the coating material without departing from the spirit of my invention as embraced within the broad scope of certain of the claims hereof.

In using the fabric cleaner herein described, the same is first preferably moistened and wrung out and the soiled portions of the tub or basin or other surface to be cleansed are then scrubbed therewith without utilizing in connection therewith any of the usual alkaline cleaning powders of the type commonly termed Babbo, Bon Ami and Dutch Cleanser. Following the removal of the soil or dirt from the surface treated, the rear face of the cloth may be used for polishing the cleaned surface. As preferably stated, following the completion of the cleaning operation, the cloth itself can be easily cleansed by a simple rinsing operation in soap and water.

While I preferably employ terry cloth wherein the nap comprises uncut piles, other cloth having a substantial pile nap in which the piles are cut may be employed, although preferably, as stated, a fabric similar to terry cloth, in which the loops or piles are uncut, has been found to be particularly suited for producing an efficient fabric cleaner when treated with the composition herein described.

Various changes within the scope of the appended claims may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to obtain by United States Letters Patent is:-

1. As a new article of manufacture, a polishing cloth composed of a looped cloth fabric in the nature of terry cloth, the nap on at least one side thereof being in the form oi! separate loops which are filled with soap-resistant beads composed of water-insoluble cellulosic ester gum, which beads are adhesively united to the peripheries of such loops and such beads having a finely divided abrasive filler embedded therein.

2. As a new article oi! manufacture, a polishing cloth composed of a fabric having a nap which comprises separated loops and which nap on at least one side of said cloth carries separated beads of a soap-resistant gum of the order of celluloid adhesively united respectively to the peripheries of such loops and such beads containing a finely divided abrasive filler.

FREDERICK A. PUSCH. 

